NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3100, 13 August 1913, Page 31

NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS.

AUCKLAND. The Boardinghouse Keepers’ Association has decided to enter a strong protest against the clauses in the Shops and Offices Bill affecting hotels and boardinghouses. The principal objection is to the holiday proposals, which, it is contended, will cripple' business. Representatives were appointed to give evidence before the committee. George Arthur Bradley, a coal miner, of Hike ingi, has been committed for trial on a serious charge. The girl concerned is 13 years of age, and is the eldest of a motherless family of eight, all of whom are to be committed to an industrial school. Clarence Harold Robinson, a clerk in the treasury department of the City Council office, -has been arrested on a charge of failing to account for £lO. Other charges are pending. POVERTY BAY At Port Awanui on the 11th Mr Barton, S.M., convicted a Native named Rawaiti Kawai on two charges of supplying Natives with liquor. The line imposed, with costs added, totalled £57 12s. HAWKE’S BAY. Two comparatively recent arrivals were before the court on the 6th. John Coulter, who deserted from the stokehold of the Marere, admitted five charges of theft and was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. He asked for reformative treatment, and was remanded for sentence in the Supreme Court on a charge of breaking and entering. The second offender, Herbert Porteous, a motor mechanic, admitted three charges of thett ai.forgery. He was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment for theft and was remanded for sentence to the Supreme Court for forgery. WELLINGTON. Ah Loo, who was fined £25 on the 4th for being the, occupier of a common gaming-house, was fined £5 on each of two charges on the sth for smoking opium and being found in possession of opium in a form suitable for smoking. Samuel Crago Toms, aged about 28, was committed for trial on the 6th on a charge of attempting to do grievous bodily harm to Arthur Hilton. Toms and Hilton are partners in a farm at Twyford, and lived together. On Saturday night loms returned from a drinking bout, assaulted Hilton, and threatened him with a loaded rifle, which he pointed at his stomachHilton seized the barrel and the gun went off, the shot lodging in the fireplace. Cyril M‘Kay, a reporter on the Patou Press, and a male companion were visiting the Waver ley Domain at 8 p.m. on the 6th inst. when a shot was fired. His companion fled, and Mr M‘Kay was caught by two men, who gagged him and bound him with a rope, and left him on the ground. They then decamped. A ballot has been taken by the Wellington Waterside Workers’ Union on proposals to affiliate with the industrial and political sections of the United Federation of Labour. In each case the proposal for affiliation was carried. The voting was as follows :—To join the federation indus-. trial organisation : For 437, against 166. To join the Social Democratic party (political organisation) : For 412, against 245.

In tho Supreme Court on the Bth Mr Justice Sim delivered judgment in a case in which Schweppes, Limited, sought an injunction against Thomson, Lewfs, and Co. to restrain the defendants from infringing the “Red Seal ’’ trade mark used by the defendants on their finger ale. His Honor held that no infringment had taken place, and judgment was given for defendants, with ccetd on the lowest scale. A deputation from the South Canterbury Hunt asked the Agricultural and Pastoral Committee for a donation to its funds, on the grounds that the Hunt assists the association to achieve one of its objects—improving the breed of light horses —and serves a valuable national end by helping to ensure the breeding of horses suitable for army remounts. It was stated that the Canterbury Jockey Club gave the Hunt £SO and the South Canterbury Jockey Club £2O. The committee decided to vote £lO.

Tho farmers say that tho winter has been the best for many years for both stock and sowing winter grain. r J he ground is always in good working order. Winter wheat is looking exceptionally well . A rough estimate indicates that about the game area as last year has been sown. WEST COAST. Although the export of timber from the Coast is fairly well maintained, it is understood that the millers are far from satisfied with the results from a financial point of view, “cutting having caused the greater portions of the profit to disappear. It is understood that negotiations are now proceeding to induce outsiders to join the association, so that the local millers can present a united front in fighting the competitors. SOUTHLAND. At tho Police Court on Saturday, John S. Hunter, a single man, pleaded guilty to committing an assault of an aggravated nature on a female on August 1. Detective Sergeant Cameron said that complainant was riding a bicycle on a suburban road about 10 o’clock at night when Hunter ran out and caught the seat of her bicycle, stopping her progress. The prisoner put his arm around her and interfered with her. She screamed, and Hunter struck her twice and decamped. Accused, when questioned next day, admitted tho assault. He was sentenced to four months’ hard labour.